It's My Birthday!!!

Happy Birthday to me!!!

Hubbs and I are off to do fun things today (weather permiting)!

Book #18 of 2012...

Colony by Scott Reeves

From Goodreads.com:

On New Earth, it's the same old, same old... In the 30th century, a group of colonists arrives on a far-off planet to begin new lives free from the taints of old Earth's corrupt civilization. But they've unwittingly brought a snake with them into their Garden: a ruthless, violent thug plans to seize power and bring the entire galaxy into his bloody hands. Only one man stands in his way...

My take:

4 out of 5 stars. Interesting story about what could happen if we cry to colonize other planets and how our problems will follow us.

Book #17 of 2012...

A Land of Ash Edited by David Dalgish

From Goodreads.com:

The Yellowstone Caldera has erupted once every 600,000 years. We're 40,000 years overdue.

A LAND OF ASH

Lava flows stretch for hundreds of miles. A cloud of ash billows east, burying the Midwest, destroying crops, and falling upon the Pacific Coast like a warm, dead snow. The remnants of the United States flees south as the global temperatures plummet.Amid this total devastation are stories of families, friends, sons and fathers and wives: the survivors. Within are eleven stories focusing on the human element of such a catastrophe, from an elderly couple gathering to await their death to a father sealing his shelter in hopes of keeping the air breathable for his daughter. Contributing to this collection include many popular and up-and-coming independent authors, including David McAfee, Daniel Arenson, and more.

My take:

4 out of 5 stars. This was a fun book. Obviously the story line isn't fun but it was really enjoyable to read short stories by many different authors along the same story line with some of the same elements. I really liked this book.

Comment Contest Give Away...

My local Fleet Feet (Fleet Feet Sacramento) is having a comment contest on Facebook where the best comment gets a Nike Running Cyclone Jacket. I don't need this jacket but it is cute and I would wear it.

Being one to not back down in the face of a challenge, I wrote a little poem for my comment. I'm sure there are people the world over, laughing their collective butts off but here's the poem for your enjoyment.

Why I run and what I do
Is a secret that I can’t share with you.
I run and run, I run for miles
Cool, rainy days make me smile.
What can make my training better then picking up my race packet?
Clearly only a Nike Running Cyclone Jacket.

Come on, it's good, right?! LOL I doubt I'll win but it was fun to work up a poem instead of the same old drivel you get on facebook.

Please Remind me...

That I don't need this adorable Pink Kate Spade cover for my Kindle.

But it's so pink and so cute!!!
Damn you Amazon!

Book #16 of 2012...

Failing Test; Book One of the Shadow Series by J.M. Pierce

From Goodreads.com:

You know him, but you can't remember his name. He is the one that is always there, in the background, all but invisible to those roaming the hallways. What if he had a secret? What if it was a secret that even he didn't know?

Test Davis has always been a blur to those around him. He's a shadow like a million other kids--not smart enough for the academic team, not beast enough for the football team, not extroverted enough for the drama crowd. In all things Test is just...not, which is why no one ever notices him.

But what happens when someone does notice him-- Nicole Paxton, a cheerleader, no less? What happens on the night that Test finds out there's nothing average about him and that a powerful gift has been hidden within, secretly waiting to be set free and alter his life forever? The question is, will that power save him and those he loves or tear them apart?

My take:

4 out of 5 stars. Good read, not heavy. I might read the next book in the series.

Gnarled Oak Update...

Gnarled Oak Cardigan is coming a long. Not quite as quickly as I thought it would, but it's coming a long. My training for Shamrock'in is taking up more and more of my time after work and I don't have as much time to work on my cardigan as I thought I would when I first set my sights on knitting it. I'm almost done with the second sleeve now and hope to be done at least a week before Stitches West at the end of the month.

I am loving my Tosh DK, the color is perfect for this sweater.

Of course my assistant is always on hand to help. Mostly she just gives me dirty looks for not petting her enough but since she keeps my lap nice and warm, I forgive the dirty looks.

Plus she's cute.